Anniversary in the Black
by Narnian at Heart
Summary: Wash forgets his and Zoe's special day and is determined to make up for the time he wasted.


**Anniversary in the Black**

**Rating: PG**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. All credit for the awesomeness that is Firefly belongs to Joss Whedon.**

**Description: It's not easy to celebrate a romantic occasion on a ship in the black. But it's worth all the trouble to see her smile.**

**XxXxXxXxXxXxXx**

Hoban Washburne woke up to find the face of his lovely wife only inches from his, a smile on her face.

"Well, good morning my beautiful girl," Wash said sleepily, half smiling as he looked up at her.

"Guess what today is, _bao bei?" _Zoe said sweetly, rolling over and standing up.

Wash felt that familiar feeling of panic. Oh great…what had he forgotten this time?

"Why it's…" he desperately looked at the calendar on the wall. Nothing rang a bell. "It's a special day alright!"

"Wash, you forgot didn't you?" Zoe seemed disappointed and the sad look she was giving him made him feel like a completely worthless fool.

"No! On no, Zoe, I didn't!" Wash spoke up quickly. "And just wait till you see what I have planned for you!"

Zoe smiled and leaned over to give him a long, sweet kiss.

"I look forward to it," she said, looking convinced. "Now, get up and get on the bridge. Mal wants you to set us a new course. Apparently the deal we're headed toward fell through. He wants us all in the dining room in a half hour.

"Yes, ma'am," Wash groaned but rolled out of bed immediately.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

All during breakfast, Wash noticed Zoe casting him little glances and every once in a while she would run her hand up his leg. He hoped sincerely he would remember what was so special about today because it obviously meant a lot to Zoe. Kaylee was watching the exchanges between them with a big grin and a dreamy look on her face, she whispered something to Mal who just nodded and rolled his eyes.

"Better start thinking. Better make plans." River's cryptic mumblings were directed in Wash's direction and he was glad that Zoe had just begun chatting to Shepherd about the wonderful breakfast he had made and so she didn't notice the motion he made for River to shut up. River just smiled and spaced out again.

After breakfast, Wash grabbed Kaylee and pulled her down to the engine room. She looked at him like he was crazy but waited for him to check and see if there was no one else in the room before he spoke.

"Kaylee, you've gotta help me!" he said, desperation obvious in his voice.

"With what, Wash?" Kaylee asked pleasantly. "Just tell me whatcha need."

"I feel like a complete idiot and I KNOW I should know what's going on but…" Wash did a quick check out the door then came back to look at Kaylee with wide, worried eyes. "WHAT is so special about today? Zoe keeps hinting at me but I have no idea what she's hinting AT!"

Kaylee burst into giggles and sat down to catch her breath. Wash was getting annoyed but he stood and waited for the fit of laughter to pass, his arms crossed.

"I'm sorry, Wash," Kaylee chuckled, "It's not funny I s'pose. But it's so typical!"

"What is?" Wash was pretty much whining now.

"Wash, it's your anniversary!"

Wash's jaw dropped open and his eyes bugged in disbelief. _Woe de ma! _How could he POSSIBLY forget that!

"Oh…Kaylee, I'm in such trouble!" Wash sat down next to Kaylee wearily. "Zoe's gonna KILL me!"

"Oh, Wash, she doesn't have to know!" Kaylee smiled widely and patted Wash's shoulder comfortingly.

"But I didn't get her anything at our last stop planet side," Wash complained.

Kaylee was silent for a moment and Wash could tell by the look on her face that she was thinking carefully. Suddenly, she looked up and her face was lit up with excitement.

"Wash I can help you plan something special for Zoe!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands in glee. "Dinner and music and dancing and…"

Wash sighed in relief.

"Thanks a heap, Kaylee!" he said with a grin. "We should get started!"

Kaylee grabbed Wash by the hand and practically yanked him back to the now abandoned kitchen area. She pushed him into a chair and immediately began to babble about what to make for dinner.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

Wash sucked in a deep breath and strode confidently onto the bridge of the ship where he had asked Zoe to meet him. She would be coming any second and he wanted to be there to make sure everything was perfect.

Sure enough, Kaylee had made good on her promise to make everything look wonderful. Wash smiled at the two candles in the middle of the floor at the very front of the bridge, under the windows. Where Kaylee had managed to dig them up he had no idea, but he was grateful to her. He didn't have time to check what was under the two covered trays because he heard footsteps approaching the bridge.

Wash immediately straightened up and stood, hands clasped in front of him in a sophisticated manner, and faced the door.

"Hey, Wash, I…" Zoe's words stopped as soon as she walked through the doors. Her eyes widened as she took in the scene. Candles, dinner…she hadn't expected this.

"Happy anniversary, Lambie-toes," Wash's smile was bigger than Zoe had ever seen. She scanned her eyes over every inch of him and appreciated what she saw. She didn't know how and she didn't know where, but somehow he had gotten a hold of clothes she had only seen in pictures of Earth-that-was. A tuxedo, she believed it was called. She had never seen him looking so good.

"Wash…"Zoe's voice was barely a whisper, "I thought you forgot…"

Wash stepped forward and put his hands on her upper arms. He covered her mouth in a very tender kiss that left Zoe's toes tingling and her stomach knotting in that way only he managed to make happen.

"Well…to tell you the truth…I did." Wash admitted, whispering in her ear.

"Mmhm, I knew it," Zoe rolled her eyes but she really didn't feel disappointed at all. Typical man.

"I'm sorry, Zo," Wash apologized softly, leaning back to look her in the eyes. "As soon as I found out what today was Kaylee and I started planning this."

Zoe rubbed her nose on his nose and then stepped back.

"You look so sexy, husband," she said with an eyebrow wiggle. "You don't move from that spot, I'll be right back!"

Wash flinched a little when he felt her fingers momentarily dig into his left buttock. With a wink, Zoe turned and left him standing there grinning just like the Cheshire cat.

When she finally returned, Wash nearly melted into a puddle. As it was, he had to place a hand on the consul next to him to keep his knees from buckling. Zoe stood in the doorway wearing the dress she knew drove him wild. It was a dark, royal blue slinky dress with a slit in the side clean up to her hip, the neckline plunged tantalizing low and it showcased her bare shoulders. She had let her hair down and it cascaded over her shoulders and down her back.

"Oh...boy, that's my wife…" Wash mumbled out loud to himself. "I don't know what I did right in life but it must have really been something to deserve you."

Zoe laughed lightly and walked up to him, she ran her fingers up the back of his neck and twirled the curls of his hair at the base of his skull around them. Wash's eyelids fluttered at the shiver that ran through him at her touch.

"What's on the agenda?" Zoe asked, looking over Wash's shoulder to where the blanket, candles and covered silver platters were laying.

Wash just grinned and took her hands from the back of his neck and led her past the consul, maintain his hold on her hand as he helped her sit on the floor. He sat across from her, the candles between them, and lifted the covers off the platters.

Kaylee had really outdone herself! Both of them were awed at the dinner she had prepared for them. Wash's mouth started when he realized the chicken on his plate was genuine meat and not protein made to look like chicken and Zoe was gazing with delight at the bowl of fresh fruit next to the plate. Strawberries…Kaylee must have sacrificed the box she bought on the last planet they had been on for them!

"God bless her," Wash said softly. "Remind me to buy her a crate full of strawberries for her birthday."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXx

If Zoe was delighted with the plan so far, she was ecstatic when Wash produce from under the consul, a bottle of genuine, honest-to-goodness burgundy wine.

"Wash…where in the 'Verse did you get that?" Zoe asked in awe.

"Inara was kind enough to offer it to me when she sound me and Kaylee plotting in the kitchen," Wash replied, popping the cork with some effort.

He carefully pulled out a pair of very delicate wine glasses where he had produced the bottle from and filled them with a flourish. He handed one to Zoe and then took a seat in the pilot's chair.

"What are you doing?" Zoe asked from the floor as she watched him push buttons on the consul.

"This." Wash made a deal out of pushing the last button dramatically and Zoe's eye widened as soft music filled the bridge. The velvet voice of a singer from Earth-that-was who she had always loved: Michael Buble. She recognized the song as "That's All". It was her favorite and she was amazed he had remembered that.

Wash offered her his hand with a slight bow and helped her to her feet. Zoe noticed his goofy smile had been replaced by the one only she got to see, the smile reserved for the most tender of moments. Zoe wrapped her arms around his shoulders and leaned her head onto his chest as he wrapped his around her waist, pulling her gently to him as they started to sway to the melody coming from the speakers above them.

Wash let go with one hand and Zoe saw him reach back on the consul again, he flicked something and she noticed the lights get dramatically dimmer. She knew then that the music, the lights, the wine…that hadn't been Kaylee's doing. He had done those things himself and that fact more than made up for his forgetting the date.

When the song ended, the music became noticeably softer and wordless just for background effect. But they didn't let go just yet, they stood there in each other's arms for a moment or two longer, just reveling in the feeling of being so close.

Wash finally sighed and lessened his hold on Zoe's waist, she in turn brought her arms back down to her side, keeping hold of his left hand. Wash grabbed his glass of wine and they went back down to the front of the bridge. Zoe moved the trays and spread the blanket out under one of the windows, laying down on it and patting next to her for him to join her, which he very gladly did.

"Wash," she whispered happily, "You never cease to surprise me. I had no idea I had married such an old-fashioned romantic."

"Well, I was saving that bit of information for a very special day," Wash said with his well-known cheeky grin.

"Well I hope you use this skill more often," Zoe said, taking a small sip of wine.

"I tell you what," Wash replied, "I'll let it show much more often."

"How about everyday?" Zoe requested.

"Baby, even if I forget to tell you or show you some days, I want you to know I will always feel the same way about you as I feel right now." Wash's face was serious as he scooted closer to her.

"Forever?" Zoe questioned, leaning her forehead to his.

"For as long as I live and even after that." Wash assured her. He raised his glass, Zoe raised hers and they clinked them together in a toast. "Happy anniversary, Zoe."

**XxXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Well there's that. Sad little foreshadowing there but…what can you do, right?**

**Hope you liked it, reviews are loved.**


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